


Curses and Rescue

by coolcattime



Series: Mianite Oneshots [2]
Category: Mianite - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Realm of Mianite - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Capsize plays a lyre, Curses, F/F, Hags, Jordan is a knight, Minor Injuries, Realm of Mianite, Shapeshifting, Sonja is Ianite's daughter, Sonja is a princess, magical imprisonment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:48:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24744091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coolcattime/pseuds/coolcattime
Summary: Sonja finds herself wandering through a completely silent palace, a world that seems completely lifeless. However, within this world she finds her girlfriend, who appears to be trapped within the cursed walls.
Relationships: Jordan Maron/Skipper Redbeard (Implied), Sonja Reid/Captain Capsize
Series: Mianite Oneshots [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1706272
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	Curses and Rescue

Sonja

As I move through the corridors of the palace, I can feel that something is wrong. I don’t know exactly what but I can just feel it, especially as everyone seems to be avoiding me. I mean, maybe that’s just a coincidence but the fact I haven’t seen anyone all day is unnerving. It’s never been this quiet before. I almost want to call out, to try and get the attention of anyone who might be around but at the same time, I almost feel scared to break the silence. If something is really wrong then trying to draw attention to myself wouldn’t be a good idea.

Hearing my own footsteps echo out is almost unnerving. I don’t like that I can so clearly hear them but there’s seemingly no other noise reaching me. It’s been the same all day, just silence other than myself. Then I hear something else, something so quiet that I almost miss it but I’m sure I do hear music. I freeze, not wanting to make any unneeded noise as I listen closely to make sure I didn’t imagine it. I hear the music continuing, floating through the still air. A quiet, simple melody. I start moving towards the noise, wanting to see anyone at this point. Just someone to explain what’s going on and why everyone else has seemingly disappeared.

I find myself following the tune as best I can, stopping quite a lot to attempt to make sure I haven’t made a wrong turn and I can still hear it. After a short while of walking through the corridors, including going back on myself a few times, I find myself outside the library. Despite hearing the music coming from inside, I hesitate because it doesn’t exactly make sense. Why would someone be playing music in the library of all places? That seems like the last place such a noise would be but perhaps I shouldn’t question it too much. Nothing is exactly normal right now. This is the only evidence I have on another person being around, ignoring it would be foolish.

Pushing open the library door reveals the room in a state of chaos I’ve never seen it in before. More books seem to be on the floor than on the shelves, though most of them are at least in stacks around the room rather than looking like they’ve just been thrown on the floor. Then, sitting on one of the tables, I see the source of the music. Capsize sits, her back to me, playing the lyre and singing softly. But it can’t be her. She hasn’t been here in months. She hasn’t been here in nearly a month. I would’ve been told if she was due to return soon.

“Capsize?” I feel my voice crack as I speak for the first time in what feels like hours. Despite my logical side screaming that she can’t be here, I desperately want to be right in my guess. I want it to be my girlfriend. She stops playing suddenly, looking to almost drop the instrument. She turns around. I see shock on her features but it is her, it is Capsize.

“Sonja? Is it really you Princess?” She sounds so unsure but upon hearing her voice, getting confirmation that is really is her, I rush over to her. I pull her closer, embracing her like I’ve wanted to since she left. I feel tears dripping down my cheeks. Even if this situation doesn’t make any sense, at least Capsize is here. I feel her cling tighter to me, though I don’t mind as running my fingers over the material of her coat is so familiar and makes me feel safe. It feels like the embrace is too short when I finally pull away. I look at her, expecting to see a smile but instead, I see confusion on her features. “But I don’t understand, how are you here?”

“What do you mean? I live here,” I should be asking her why she’s here, especially since it seems like she’s been holed up in the library for at least a week judging by the state of the place. But that doesn’t make any sense. In fact, there are so many things that I can’t make sense of, especially the odd lingering silence around us. Capsize shakes her head at my words, a few tears dripping from her eyes. I’ve never seen her look so scared. I want to embrace her again, tell her that everything is going to be okay and ask her why she looks so upset.

“This isn’t the palace, this is somewhere cursed,” She sounds so scared but so sure of herself at the same time. I want to question her but before I can she takes her coat off, exposing her arms to be covered with dark markings. They could be easily mistaken for tattoos if I didn’t know that she didn’t have any, and looking even closer the markings, shaped like chains, look almost like they’re moving across her skin. She pulls the collar of her shirt down a little, revealing the same markings on her neck. It doesn’t take me long to realise what they are. Curse markings. Someone cursed her. “Don’t touch them, I don’t know if they’ll spread.”

“Who did this to you?” I don’t want to believe this, that my girlfriend is cursed, despite the evidence in front of me. But if it is real, I need to know who did this. It might be the first step to reversing it. Because I will reverse it, no matter what I have to do. I see Capsize hesitate and for a moment I feel bile rising in my throat as I wonder if the curse has been designed in such a way that she can’t tell me.

“I don’t know. I remember being in a swamp with Red and then just waking up here, alone,” She speaks quietly, pulling her legs up to her chest as she speaks. I begin planning as to how I’ll find her. There will be maps of where she was going somewhere, I’m sure of it. I go to ask more questions when I see Capsize start to look around rapidly, walking through me. “Sonja?! Please don’t leave me alone again! Sonja, please I—”

I start awake in my bed feeling hot tears on my face, Capsize’s cries still echoing in my head and her name on the tip of my tongue. I could just write it off as a dream but I know in my heart that it was real. Capsize is stuck alone in some messed up nightmare world. I can’t just leave her there, not for a moment longer than necessary. And whoever did this to her will pay, I’ll make sure of that, just as soon as Capsize is safe.

* * *

“Sonja, can you explain what’s going on? You’re scared me,” Jordan says, a worried tone to his words that doesn’t bother me nearly as much as it would normally. I can’t afford to waste time, not now I’ve found the map to where Capsize was headed. The swamp wasn’t the destination but that doesn’t matter, they still needed to travel through it on both legs of the journey. It’s the best, and frankly the only, starting point I have so I’ve started packing for a journey. And of course, Jordan had to find me doing so. As much as I sometimes question my mother’s choice for her champion knight, he’s friendly at least and takes his duties seriously. Unfortunately, the fact that he takes things seriously means that, when he found me clearly packing for a long journey and preparing armour and weapons, he got concerned. “Please, your Majesty, I might be able to help.”

“It’s Capsize, she’s been cursed,” I see him, looking at me with confusion. He doesn’t understand, of course, he doesn’t. I don’t understand how I was brought into the space where she’s being kept. But now that I’ve been there, I know I can’t just leave her there. No matter how hard the journey might be because she’d do the same for me, I know she would. I can just feel Jordan’s disbelief though and if he doesn’t believe me then there’s a good chance that he might try to stop me leaving. “When I was asleep, I was taken to a cursed version of the palace. I thought I was alone but Capsize was there, covered in cursed markings. I can’t leave her there.”

“Are you sure it was real?” There is some concern in his voice, despite how careful he’s being with his words. I suppose he can’t just believe me. After all, I must sound ridiculous. Maybe he thinks I’m just desperate to see her again but I would never imagine her in such a terrible situation. Not seeing her at all would be better than seeing her like that. “I mean, she was travelling with her brother and the two are the are more than capable.”

“Redbeard wasn’t with her, something must have happened to him,” I say that without thinking and immediately regret doing so as I see Jordan falter. Of course, he does, he and Redbeard are close. I have always thought that there might be something more to them but even Capsize wasn’t sure. I pack some more items, attempting to ignore the way Jordan is muttering under his breath. As long as he doesn’t attempt to inform my mother that I’m leaving I don’t really what warnings he might come up with. He’s not going to talk me out of this. “I just need to go and find her. If she’s fine then there’s no harm done.”

“I… I’m coming with you,” I freeze, stopping in my tracks. That isn’t the response I was expecting, especially not sounding like a statement rather than a suggestion. I look at him, half expecting to see the reluctance I usually see on knights when they’re doing something out of a sense of duty rather than actually wanting to do so. Yet that isn’t what I see. Instead, there is a sense of certainty to him that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. As much as I want to insist that I don’t need help, that this is a journey I have to take alone but with him giving me such a look, it would feel wrong to make him stay behind. Even if the tradition heroes didn’t take help with them to rescue their love from a curse, I guess the stories always were romanticised.

“Okay, but we leave tonight.”

* * *

Capsize

I feel hot tears still running down my cheeks as I stare up at the ceiling from the table I’m lying on, attempting to process seeing Sonja. Was it even real? Yes, it had to have been, though the only thing keeping me sure of that fact is our embrace, her running her hand over my coat and fingers through my hair as I just held her to confirm she was really there. My princess, she was brought here into this place somehow. She didn’t even realise she was away from home; I can’t imagine how confused she must have been. But, at the very least, she isn’t stuck here. As much as her suddenly disappearing, leaving me alone here once again, hurt so much, I wouldn’t want her to be here with me. This cursed place with seemingly nothing around.

I look at the markings on my arms, the dark chains moving across my bronzed skin. I know that they’ve grown. When I first woke up, they weren’t on my arms at all, only the loop around my neck. Now though, they’ve travelled all the way down my arms and around my wrists. I was terrified that they might also travel down to my legs but every time I’ve checked there hasn’t been any more spread. But whether they’ll continue to grow or not, their meaning is the same. I’m stuck here, chained to this lifeless place.

That’s what this place is: lifeless. Other than myself there’s no life, no noise, no anything. Even when I attempt to look outside there’s nothing, just seemingly endless nothingness. The only place I’ve been able to stay sane is in the library since at least the quiet feels normal. I’ve only left a few times, only when I’ve needed something not available to me here. Since I haven’t needed food or sleep in this place, the last time I went looking for something was my lyre. It still feels slightly wrong in my hands despite how it looks like my lyre but it doesn’t have the scratches and marks the real ones does, it doesn’t have the love declaration of love for Sonja I engraved onto it. It, like this whole place, just feels empty. Even when I’ve tried to look out the windows, there’s just an endless void.

I run one of my fingers across a few of the strings, not attempting to play anything. I just want some noise, anything that isn’t the inescapable silence. I don’t know how I got here, where Red might be, or how long I have been in this place. All the research I’ve attempted has been fruitless as I don’t know what happened to me so I can’t find any useful information on fighting or reversing the condition. I just feel hopeless, stuck, and useless. All of which are things I’ve desperately tried to avoid. But here I am, trapped with nothing to do but hope someone else will be able to free me.

“Are you feeling tired yet?” I freeze as a raspy voice loudly interrupts my thoughts; the breath of the voice’s owner hot against my ear. I don’t quite know how to react as I’m currently lying on a table with no weapons. It if weren’t for the continuing of the breathing next to my ear, I would convince myself that I had imagined the voice. However, as it stands, I both can’t pretend the voice wasn’t real and I don’t want to see who asked the question. “Don’t ignore me!”

I’m pulled off the table, landing on the floor at the feet of the one who grabbed me. I look up, at the person standing over me. A woman, one who looks older than anyone I’ve ever met before. Her blue skin looks almost rotten and her hair appears to be made of moss and branches. Her facial features don’t quite seem to fit her face, looking cramped on in an unsettling attempt to look human. A blurred memory of her standing before me and Red flashes through my mind, though I can’t recall the context. She pulls the air over me, and my arms jerk up together and then upwards, pulling my body up by my arms until I’m standing, looking up at the taller woman. My hands drop down as suddenly as they were raised, pain filling them from the jarring unwanted moment. The woman grabs my chin, digging her nails into my skin.

“Such a pretty face,” I pull her arm off of me. I take a few steps back until I feel my legs hit the table. I might still be trapped but at least there’s a little space between the two of us. I don’t know what exactly the woman is, though I have a few guesses, I just want as much space between us as possible. She’s the one who cursed me, she must be. So, what does she want with me? She laughs, a grin on her face. “And you have brains too, not like the one you came with, though he was a loyal little fighter for you.”

“What have you done with my brother?” I see her grin, but if she’s hurt him, I’ll kill her. I don’t care what power she thinks she holds over me, if she’s hurt any of my loved ones, I’ll find a way to make her pay. I don’t care what she thinks either, Red is no idiot. Those who insult or underestimate him unusually don’t last long afterwards. But what if he’s like me, trapped in another lifeless world? I’ll just have to find him, that would be the only thing to do.

“I merely gave him a form better befitting his attributes. But you don’t need to worry your pretty little face about it. After all, you’re the important one here,” I don’t like any of what she’s said and I especially don’t like the way she’s said it. She speaks in such a way that I get the impression that she views me and Red as simply a means to an end, or worse objects to be played with. That idea makes me even more uncomfortable, especially with how she touched my face. It makes me fear even more what she’s done to my brother as she has clearly taken joy in whatever she has done to him. “I can’t believe my luck that the pretty little lover of the princess wandered onto my land. And I’m sure such a noble princess wouldn’t leave her lover cursed and alone and must be on her way here too.”

“Don’t you dare do anything to her,” I can’t let her hurt Sonja. Even if I’m stuck here forever, I’ll protect my princess for just as long. The woman laughs, grabbing the air in front of me as she did earlier. Suddenly, I feel something tighten around my neck. I start gasping for air and I see her smile grow, twisting her hand more. I crawl against my neck, but there’s nothing there, nothing that could be choking me. Then, as one of my nails scratches against my skin and I realise what’s going on. She’s choking me with the curse marking, the images of chains are acting as if they are the real thing. Suddenly, she relaxes her hand and I immediately fall onto all fours, breathing deeply. I grit my teeth as the woman laughs once again. But I was always told to never let a person believe that you’re beaten. So, I stand up, still attempting to get my breath back, and look the woman in the eyes. “I said, you will not do anything to my princess.”

“Well, you’re certainly a determined little thing but you aren’t in any position to be making demands. You are stuck here for as long as I want you to be, but if you behave, I might let you see your precious princess again.”

* * *

Sonja

Despite my original sceptical feelings about him coming, I have to admit I’m glad for Jordan’s company as we reach the beginning of the swamp. Even on horseback, the journey has taken several days and I can’t imagine how lonely it would’ve been without him. Talking with him has been nice. I have known him for quite a while now but within the conversation we’ve had during the journey, I’ve learnt things about him that help me understand why my Mother chose him as her champion. I learnt that he knows magic, having dabbled in various different versions of the art, and also that he’s been training under a knight since he was quite young, though he didn’t specify how young. He also told me that he’s also been training with Redbeard for quite a while now, for almost as long as I’ve known Capsize as they came to the palace at the same time, though exactly why is a story I don’t fully know. I’ll admit that I wasn’t completely paying attention to why they were there as much as being infatuated by the beautiful new girl.

Given the difficulty we’ll have riding through swampland, we dismount from our horses, tying them to a nearby tree. I run my hand over her muzzle as my horse whinnies, attempting to soothe her before I need to leave her for a while. I look over to Jordan, silently confirming that he’s ready to move into the swamp. A small nod. I suppose there’s no point in avoiding what we came here for. Even if this whole thing feels a lot more real now but I can’t turn back now, I came here to save Capsize and I will.

We walk in silence for quite a while, travelling deeper into the swamp. It almost feels like we’re being watched but I shake off that feeling well attempting to stay on alert without becoming paranoid. Scaring myself isn’t going to help me find Capsize.

After about twenty minutes of uneventful walking, some noise ahead makes me feel. I look over to Jordan, just for confirmation that I’m not hearing things, and see him standing just as still as I am. Carefully, I draw my sword from its sheath, still hoping that I won’t need to use it. As much as I know it’s unlikely, I don’t want to fight if I can avoid it. We push through the bushes, expecting to be faced with some impossible to imagine creature. That isn’t exactly what I find.

“It’s a dog?” I ask confused as come across a mastiff that looks to be attempting to break the chain attaching its collar to a tree. It is definitely what was making the noise, as it’s barking, as it claws at and bites the chain are much clearer now. Though, as it seems to notice us, it stops, backing away from us and whining. Who would leave a dog in the middle of a swamp? The act just seems cruel to me, even more so as I realise there’s a scar in the place of one of its eyes. As I get past my shock, I approach it, still being cautious as I have no idea the temperament of the animal, though I do feel bad as it backs away from me more. I set my sword down on the ground. “It’s okay, we’re not going to hurt you. Jordan, do you think you’ll be able to get the chain off?”

“Of course,” He moves forward, immediately beginning to examine the chain. I gently stroke the dog while also attempting to check for anything unusual about it. Luckily, it doesn’t have any injuries other than its missing eye which clearly happened a while ago. It seems well trained too which makes its abandonment even more sickening. Mastiffs are deathly loyal to the person who trained them, it’s why knights so often have one. While I can’t imagine abandoning any animal, there’s something even worse about abandoning one so loyal. I look to the collar that it’s wearing, hoping there’s something to identify the animal. My throat goes dry as I see the tag features no name but instead the emblem of Mother’s knights.

I desperately try to remember if Capsize or Redbeard have a mastiff. I’m sure Capsize doesn’t, she would’ve told me and I would’ve met it if that was the case. However, I’m not sure about her brother. He could have a dog, though I’ve never seen him with one before. That and Capsize has never mentioned it. I sigh and the dog looks at me. Despite being sure I’ve never seen it before; it feels familiar in a way I can’t describe. It’s just an air around maybe, or just me wanting to be familiar with anything. It isn’t an uncomfortable feeling at least. Jordan pulls the chain once more and it becomes free from the dog’s collar. Immediately, the dog runs up to Jordan, barking at him.

“Hey, you’re welcome. Wouldn’t want you left chained to a tree,” Jordan smiles, petting the dog as it continues to bark. I wonder if Jordan recognises it, after all, he oversees a lot of the knights so it doesn’t seem out of the question that he would know a knight’s dog. It also seems quite friendly towards Jordan which would be odd if it was unfamiliar with him. I don’t know too much about mastiff but I do know it’s hard to change their loyalty. It’s why abandoning them is such a terrible thing to do. “Are you okay, your… Sonja?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I just hope we’ll find Capsize and Redbeard soon,” I say. We’ll be able to figure out who the dog belongs to once we know the two of them are safe. As long as the dog is willing to come with us then figuring out who they belong to isn’t a completely pressing issue. I just wish I could pin done why it feels so familiar.

* * *

The last hour or so has been a lot less quiet, mostly due to the mastiff barking quite a lot. It’s nice, though it definitely means we aren’t going to get the jump on anyone but hopefully that won’t be necessary. The mastiff is endearing, seeming already quite attached to Jordan in a way that I think is a little odd but is quite nice even so. At least its abandonment didn’t make it untrusting.

There still hasn’t been any sign of Capsize or Redbeard. It’s sort of scaring me, I was sure there would have been some sign of them. I’ve tried to pretend that I’m feeling fine, even though I’m really scared that we’re too late. Even though I left as soon as possible, I’m still scared that Capsize has been killed since the last time I saw her. It’s a terrifying thought to me, that she might just be gone, but it’s also impossible to ignore. It’s just there, gnawing away in the back of my mind. I don’t think I’d be able to forgive myself if that ends up being the case.

“Sonja, there’s someone up ahead,” Jordan says in a low voice and, after listening for a moment, I realise he’s correct. There’s a shuffling up ahead, not one that I can really make out. I hear the mastiff growl softly which makes me even more nervous. I mean, animals sense danger, right? I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere, even if it doesn’t make me feel better right now. At least until I hear a hear small sob, one that sounds so familiar.

“Capsize!” I rush forward without thinking because it’s her, I’m sure it is. I hear Jordan yell after me and the mastiff barking loudly but I don’t care. No one is stopping me reaching my girlfriend, not when she’s clearly so close. I dodge past a couple of trees until I see Capsize, her trap caught in some sort of trap. She looks to be panicking, struggling in an attempt to get out, before noticing me. As soon as she looks at me, relief floods her features.

“Princess! You came for me,” She says, a tear rolling down her cheek. I feel myself holding back a few of my own because of course, I did. What was done to her for her to doubt that? Luckily, she doesn’t look injured, other than the trap that looks to be digging into her leg, though I know not all injuries are visible. In fact, the only unusual thing about her appearance is the leather satchel she’s wearing, as it’s the only thing I don’t recall her wearing in the cursed palace. But that isn’t so odd. After all, it’s just a bag, they’re pretty easy to take off.

“Of course, I came. Though you seem to have done a good job escaping on your own. Now, let’s get you out of that,” I can’t stop myself from smiling as I kneel down to look at the trap, knowing that she’s mostly safe. Luckily, the release for the trap is quite simple. Capsize must have just missed in a panic. She breathes in relief as she pulls the trap off, standing up as I do. I move closer to her, having so many questions but not knowing which to ask. But she’s okay, she’s standing in front of me and she’s okay. I lend closer to her.

“Sonja?! Your Majesty, are you--? Capsize! You’re here,” I jump back a little as Jordan comes yelling into the scene. I here Capsize sigh which almost makes me smirk. It seems we’re almost always interrupted, though at least in the palace that makes sense. I hear the mastiff, that’s now by Jordan’s legs, growling but I do my best to ignore it. It probably just doesn’t know what to make of a stranger. Then why can’t I shake the sinking feeling in my gut? “Are you okay? Princess Sonja was quite concerned about your state.”

“Yes, I’m fine now. Redbeard and I, we were jumped by this creature on our way from our collection. It did something, put me in a sort of dream state. I managed to break out yesterday but I couldn’t find Redbeard. I’m scared he might be—” Capsize doesn’t finish, letting out a sob. I embrace her, attempting to calm what must be days of fear being let out. Behind me, I hear the mastiff bark and growl and Jordan attempting to calm it despite sounding on the verge of breaking down. I do my best to only focus on Capsize, she’s been suffering, she needs me. When she finally pulls away, she reaches into her bag. “The creature wanted this for some reason, do you know what it is?”

She pulls out an ornate wooden box, the exact right size to slip into the satchel. It looks quite beautiful, being made from dark wood with engravings. There is something familiar about it. But before I can actually examine it, the mastiff launches forward. I get knocked to the ground, being dazed for a few moments. I shoot up immediately after I recover, and panic at the scene. The mastiff is pinning Capsize to the ground, barking and growling in her face. I go to pull the dog off but, before I can, it’s flung off her, landing on the ground a few feet away, whining with a slash across its stomach. It’s now that I realise something is wrong because Capsize doesn’t have anything that she could’ve used to injure the dog. And as I look over to her, for the briefest moment, I see a smirk on her face. I grab my sword, pointing it at her as reality clicks into place.

“Sonja? What are you—”

“Tell me what you’ve done to the real Capsize, now,” This isn’t my Capsize. She would never smile upon having to cause injury to something that hadn’t hurt her, especially not such a delighted smile. I see her scowl and then begin laughing, slowly standing up and seemingly growing taller and shifting her form as she does so. Until in front of me stays a woman who looks to be as rotten on the outside as she on the inside. A nightmare hag stands before me, a horrifying creature that I’ve only ever seen in books before this moment but I don’t care about that right now. I could be facing down a dragon and I still wouldn’t care. She’s done something to Capsize and she will pay for it.

“I’ve put her away because she belongs to me now,” A sick smile covers her face. I want to kill her just for her comments but I resist, only because she might be the only person who knows where Capsize is. But why would she just leave her if she saw Capsize as her possession? My eyes wander over to the box that’s now sitting on the ground. A sickening realisation floods me as I realise, I know what felt familiar about it. The engravings on it look exactly like the curse markings that were covering Capsize’s body. “Oh, little princess. You shouldn’t look away from me.”

I get thrown back, hitting a tree which causes pain to flood through my body. I see her grab the box then disappear in a cloud of black mist. I let out a small groan, managing to hold back the sobs I want to let out. I was so close.

“Sonja, are you okay?” Jordan says, but I don’t think I’ll be able to reply without breaking down. The mastiff comes over, limping from its injury. It gives a little bark, nudging my arm with its nose. I let a tear roll down my cheek.

“We lost her Jordan. We were so close and now she’s…” I don’t finish. A few tears roll down my cheeks. How are we meant to find her now? She could just teleport away again if we do manage to track her down. Then the mastiff tugs on my clothes, pointing its head in a different direction. I almost ignore it, wanting to stay and let out my frustrations. But then an idea circles around my head. It knew Capsize wasn’t real, that the hag was disguised. So maybe, just possibly, it knows where the hag might have gone and we can find Capsize.

* * *

Capsize

I dodge a blow from the hag as she takes a swipe at me. I can sense her anger, though I have no idea what has happened to trigger this. All I know is I’m not letting her touch me. With all her anger I can’t imagine what she wants to do to me. Last time she seemed ready to choke me to death and then she seemed happy rather than annoyed. Once again, I’m pulled forward in by her grabbing the air to control the cursed chains on me. I attempt to resist being moved, but the strength I’m fighting against seems impossible. I start being dragged just behind the woman as she starts leaving the room. I start kicking and twisting my stomach, doing anything with the free parts of my body. I don’t know where she’s planning on taking me but I don’t want to be taken there.

“Stop struggling, you little—” I kick her in the back of the knee getting the pressure off my wrists and neck. I get to my feet, attempting to run as far away as possible. I don’t know where I think I’m going; this place doesn’t exactly have an exit. But the more distance I put between myself and her, the better. And I’m sure I’m getting some between us when my head is pulled back by my neck. It’s painful, I’m yanked back by my neck. It’s painful, I’m yanked back and turned around so suddenly that I lose my footing and almost choke. Once again, I’m in front of the hag. “Did you think you could run? I control this palace! I control you!”

“So what?! You want to trap me even more?” I don’t like how a smile grows on her face at my words. I don’t even know if she could make me feel more trapped than I do currently but I certainly don’t want her to try. I run ideas through my head to attempt to get out of this situation but what am I meant to do? I can’t leave. All being trapped will do is make my time alone here even worse, which, honestly, I’m not even sure is possible.

“Maybe, I should punish you, see if that teaches you to behave better. Though it would be a shame to ruin your face, I’m sure I could think of some changes to make,” She runs one of her nails over my cheek, and I’m sure she’s drawing blood. I don’t know what she thinks, but I will never ‘behave’ for her. I’ll resist her until my dying breath if necessary. Because I am not her plaything, not a pet to be trained. “Or maybe, I should imprison you in a barren tower rather than this palace, like my kind to do to the worthless cursed maidens we captured. After all, I know much worse curses than the one I put on you.”

“You can do your worst, I still won’t bow to you,” I don’t care what she does, what she thinks she can do to me, I will never obey her. Even the worst curses can be broken, even if not alone I know Sonja will come for me. She wouldn’t leave me. And I’m sure no matter what she’s done to Red, he won’t stop fighting either. So, I don’t need to be scared, no matter what she plans on doing to me. Even as her smile grows more and I feel my heart thumping in my chest. Even as she leans close enough for me to smell her.

“Oh, so you want worse, do you? Well, I can certainly arrange that.”

* * *

I don’t know how much time has passed since I was dragged into this room, one with nothing but the old, splintered wooden chair I’m currently strapped to. Of course, the hag couldn’t create new curses from within the fake world she created for me, so she left me here for ‘safekeeping’. I haven’t stopped struggling since I was left alone. It isn’t the easiest thing to do, with straps on my wrists, ankles, and stomach keeping me stuck but I think I’ll be able to get myself out. All it takes is getting one of my hands free and then getting out should be easy. Through the amount of struggling I’ve already done, I’ve managed to get some slack on my right wrist, which I know is good despite how long it took to create it.

A few more minutes of struggling, and I gain enough slack to get my hand out of the strap. I sigh in relief, stretching my arm out before starting of the strap on my other hand. It’s a much quicker process than the first, though still a little fiddly with only one. But once both my hands are free, the rest of the straps are much easier to take off. First my stomach, then my left ankle, then my right. And then I’m free. Free in a completely empty room.

“Capsize? Are you around here?” I hear Sonja’s voice echoing down the hallway. I rush to the door, attempting to open it only to find it locked, much to my frustration. I look through its small window, that’s basically a hole with bars over it, attempting to either see Sonja or reach the lock, neither of which proves true.

“Sonja! I’m over here, I’m locked in!” I bounce on the balls of my feet. I knew she would come for me. I smile widely as I see her on the far end of the hallway. There’s my princess, in armour and looking ready for anything. I catch her eyes, and I see her beginning to run towards me. I laugh as my worry begins to leave me, but it doesn’t last long. The hag appears suddenly behind Sonja, a dagger poised above her ready to strike. “Sonja, look out!”

She whips around, barely managing to get her sword out in time to block the dagger from hitting. A fight begins, one where I’m stuck watching. No, I refuse to just stand on the sidelines watching the danger Sonja’s in. I start ramming my shoulder against the door, the amount of force I use only growing as I hear Sonja’s struggles. I can’t leave her fighting alone. One last shove and I manage to break the door open, stumbling into the hallway.

I look over to the fight, seeing Sonja deflecting blow after blow from the bag. Despite my own lack of my weapon, I have to do something. I run over, grabbing the hag’s arm to stop her using the dagger. I hear her yelling, swearing at me, but I don’t release my grip. I won’t let her hurt Sonja. She pulls at the air with her other hand, the tightening feeling around my neck immediately coming back. But even as I choke, I attempt to keep my grip fast.

“Get off my girlfriend!” I hear Sonja yell, jerking forward without my peripheral vision. The pressure disappears from my neck as the hag falls to the ground, Sonja’s sword in her stomach. I look over to Sonja, about to thank her. However, before I can say anything, a black mist starts coming off my arms. I panic slightly, not sure what’s happening until I throw off my coat and see the chains evaporating off my skin. I laugh, though, I’m not sure why. But I do know it’s over, the curse is breaking. Sonja smiles at me, grabbing my coat from the ground and offering it to me. “Are you okay? I mean, not okay but she didn’t hurt you too badly did she?”

“I’m mostly fine, a couple cuts and bruises but I think being in this place meant she didn’t see much of a reason to injury me.”

“That’s good…”

“Are you okay?”

“I… I was really scared that I wouldn’t be able to find you.”

“Oh, my princess, I never doubted you for a second,” I take her hands and pull her in for a kiss. It’s almost enough to make me forget about all that’s happened but it certainly is enough to distract from my surroundings.

“Sonja? Did you do it something because—” I pull away as Jordan enters the room and I smile at the knight at he trails off blushing. Though I’m a little surprised by his presence, I’m glad to see another familiar presence. As he stutters in embarrassment, I slip my coat on and look around my surroundings. A few memories come back of the hag preparing the curse she used on me as I realise we’re currently in her basement. Without the hag here, it’s not as frightening a place to be, though I do feel a small wave of panic as I realise my brother isn’t here.

“Not to sound disappointed to see you two but you haven’t found Red, have you?”

“We haven’t yet—”

“Actually, that’s why I came in here—”

“Jordan, did you have to run off so quickly? Your magic works wonders but I’m not exactly fully healed,” Sonja and Jordan talk over each other only to both be interrupted as Red comes into the room, an arm over his stomach and I assume he’s applying pressure to an injury. Even still, I run over and hug him, though I do try and be careful not to hurt him any more than he already is. He puts his free arm around me and I feel safe for the first time in days. “Good to see you Capsize.”

“Glad that you’re safe too,” The hag never did say what exactly she did to him, only the vague taunt. But I suppose I don’t need to worry about that now since he’s clearly safe. I still worry though as he was clearly injured and, when I pull away from the hug, I see Sonja looking at him a little confused. Red sighs.

“I was the mastiff, Sonja,” I see Sonja’s eyes widen at his words. It clicks in my own head what the hag meant by a new form for him as I almost wish I could go back and kill her myself for turning my brother into a dog. But I calm myself down, reminding myself that she is dead and it seems most of the harm has been undone.

I look around with a small smile. Despite everything, I feel happy and safe. So maybe the last few weeks (if it even was that long) have been rough, but now I’m safe and so is Red. I’m with Sonja and whatever the hag was planning isn’t going to happen. I’m sure after a while this will just be another adventure that I look back on and tell as just an odd little story. Though hopefully, the next one will be a little less terrifying to experience first-hand. And perhaps next time, Sonja might be able to be with me from the beginning as travelling her would make just about anything less scary.

**Author's Note:**

> So this is another pretty long oneshot I wrote and you all enjoyed (mostly because I really enjoyed writing it).


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